Running-board for freight-cars.



WILLIAMI EDWARD FOWLIEIIRI,` JR., 0F HAMMOND, INDIANA.

RUNNING-BOARD FOR FREIGHT-CARS.`

To afi whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM E. FowLER, Ir., of Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Running- Boards for Freight-Cars, 0f which the fol-l lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in running boards such as are ordinarily placed upon the tops offreight cars for the purpose of permitting the train men to walk along the tops of the cars, and the objects I have in view are toprovide a running board of lthis character, which will be simple in construction, and which will automatically free itself from ice or snow accumulating thereon, and which will present a surface upon which a person may walk without danger of slipping therefrom.

The invent-ion consists generally in the constructions and combinations hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in' vationof the supporting saddle with the side rails secured thereto and the expanded metal top secured to the side rails, Fig. 4 is a similar view showing modified means for securing the expanded metal to the side rails, Fig. 5 is a similar view showing especially formed side rails to which the edges of the expanded metal sheet are secured. Fig. 6 is an elevation of one. of the end braces, Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the intermediate braces. p

In the drawings, 2 represents one lof the saddles, which consists of a metal bar having a depressed center 3, ends 4, adapted to be bolted or secured to the car to'p, and

standards 5 extendin upwardly from said ends 4. The depresse center 3 forms a pair of standards 6 6, and the center of said depressed portion is preferably provided'with a bolt hole 7, by means of which said supporting saddle may be centrally secured to the car top. Flanged rails 8-8 are preferably riveted to the standard 5. These rails extend thefull length of the car body and preferably project slightly beyond the ends of the car ,asl indicated at the left in Fig. 2 of the drawings. I also prefer to provide intermediate braces 10 as shown in- Fig. 7 of specincaapn of Letters :Patent Application led 0ctober`12, 1911. Serial No.` 654,424.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

the drawings, said braces being riveted to the vertical fiangcs on the bars 8, 'as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. At each end of the running board, I prefer to provide an end brace 11 which has standards l2 that are riveted to the vertical flanges of the side rails 8, preferably at the ends thereof, and project below said side rails and are riveted at their lower ends to diagonal braces 13 that are in turn secured uponthe ends of the car body. The said saddles 2, the side rails 8, intermediate braces 10 and the end braces 11, form a rectangular frame that is rigidly secured to the car top. Upon this frame I secure a sheet of expanded metal, "having preferably diamond shaped meshes as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. This expanded metal is arranged with the edges of t-he metal sheet forming the upper surface of the running board, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The edgesof said vsheet are secured to t-he side rails 8 in any suitable manner. I prefer to bend the edges of the sheet under the upper flanges of the side rails as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. This makes a continuous lockin support for the edges of said sheets and holds the sheets firmly upon the frame formed as hereinbefore described. If preferred, however, the edges ,of the sheets may be secured in place by washers 14 and rivets l5 which pass through the meshes 'of said metal sheet. If preferred I may provide specially formed side rails 15 having inwardly projecting flanges 17 and 18 with a space between them into which the edges of the metal sheet may extend and between which said edges may be clamped, as indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

In each instance the metal frame is solidly secured to the car tm` and the sheet having the diamond shaped .icshes, forming the surface that is to be walked upon, is secured rigidly at the edges to the side rails of said frame, lea-ving an open space between the top of the car and the under surface of said expanded metal'sheet. The saddles and the intermediate and end braces firmly support said expanded metal sheets at suitable intervals so as to prevent the same from being pressed or bent downward 'out of shape. The edges of the metal sheet is received -who walks or stands upon said rangement.

running board. When snow or ice accumulate upon the top of this running board, the weight of a person Astanding or A`walking thereon will cause the snow or ice under the feet to becut through by the edges of the --metal and such snow or ice will then fall into the space between the expanded metal sheet and the top of the car. By this means the surface of the metal sheet will automatically free itself from snow and ice as a person walks over the same and, therefore, a person can walk on this running board with very little danger of slipping or falling therefrom.

I have shown in the drawings theeX- panded metal sheet arranged with the diamond shaped meshes extending crosswise of the running board, and I prefer this ar- I can, however, if preferred, arrange the sheet with the meshes running lengthwise of the running board.

I do not limit myself to the details ofrconstructionof the frame, or means of securing the edges of the metal sheet thereto', as the same may be varied in many particulars without departing from`my invention.

, I claim as my invention:

1. /The combination, in a device of the i class described, with longitudinally extend-A ing side rails, of transverse 'saddles supportlng braces connectlng sald ralls, and an expanded metal sheet( having its edges seside I rails, substantially, v as detending side rails,|of a series of transverse saddles, supporting braces connecting said rails and secured upon the'to of the car, an expanded metal sheet havlng diamond shaped meshes therein', and means securing the edges of said sheet to said side rails whereby said sheet is held with a space between its under surface and the top of the car, substantiall as described.

\ 3. 4A running card for freight cars, comprising suitable saddles secured upon the top of the car, longitudinally extending side rails secured to said saddles, and ,an expanded metal sheet. having diamond shaped meshes, arranged with its edges secured to said rails, substantially as described.

4. The freight car running board', comprising the transverse saddles 2, having the end standards 5 and the central depression 3 with the Vstandard 6, side rails 8 secured to said standard 5 and the expanded metal sheet resting upon the tops of said side rails and saddles with its edges secured to `said side rails, substantially as describedf In witness whereof,;I have hereunto set my hand this 25 day of September 1911. WILLIAM EDWARD lFOWLER, JR.

Witnesses W. E. KAIN,

MARIE FowLnR. 

